- Provide pedometers for a "steps" contest—give an award to the parent, teacher, student and staff member who takes the most steps in a given month.
- Bring teachers, parents and students together in an after-school walking, biking, running or skating club.
- Encourage parents to volunteer to walk groups of students to school on a rotating basis.
- Give parents information about community physical activity resources (such as programs at the local YMCA).
- Raise funds for school athletic equipment (see the ideas for healthy fundraisers in this notebook).
- Plan group activities for your PTA that involve fitness (e.g., a walking meeting with the principal).
- Find creative ways to make PTA fundraising activities active: sell services like raking leaves and shoveling snow.
- Take a look at your school’s playgrounds and athletic facilities. Test the equipment. Does your school do a good job of providing students with an environment that promotes physical activity?
- Partner with local organizations to provide after-school activities in your school’s athletic facilities.
- Be advocates for recess and physical education. Parents’ concerns and ideas are valuable—talk to your principal and other school leaders about the importance of incorporating at least 30 minutes of physical education run by accredited professional instructors, into
every school day.
*** This information was brought to you from the Healthy Lifestyles at Home and School notebook, created in partnership with Parents' Action for Children.
http://www.pta.org/topic_10_things_a_pta_can_do_to_improve_physical_activity_%20in_schools.asp
You may also write to congress to support the "FIT Kids Act" via the following link:
http://www.richardsimmons.com/j15/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=249&Itemid=99999
